iPhone | iPad
Android
Huawei
The most siblings born on the same day is five, and there's only one-in-17.7-billion chance it can happen
KT APPDOWNLOAD
Mysterious Corsican 'cat-fox' revealed as unique species
The distinctive animal has been a part of local folklore for centuries
The elusive striped "cat-fox" familiar mostly to Corsican shepherds and as a source of intrigue to scientists, is indeed its own species specific to the French Mediterranean island, the French office for Biodiversity (OFB) announced Thursday.
New genetic analysis has "revealed a unique genetic strain to the wild cats" found in the remote forest undergrowth of northern Corsica, it confirmed.
Genetic sampling clearly distinguishes the ring-tailed Corsican cat-foxes from mainland forest felines and domestic cats, said the OFB in a statement.
While resembling house cats in some ways, the cat-fox earned its name from its length -- measuring 90 centimetres (35 inches) from head to tail -- and its distinct black-tipped, ringed tail.
Other distinguishing features include the stripes on the front legs, "very dark" hind legs, and a russet stomach. The dense, silky coat is a natural repellent for fleas, ticks and lice.
The inconspicuous feline finally became part of a concerted research effort -- after years of playing a game of cat and mouse -- when one was unexpectedly captured in a local chicken coop in 2008.
But it has long been part of local folklore.
"The cat-fox is part of our shepherd mythology," Carlu-Antone Cecchini, head of the forest cat mission at the National Hunting and Wildlife Office, now part of the OFB, told AFP in 2019.
"From generation to generation, they told stories of how the forest cats would attack the udders of their ewes and goats."
The discovery of a unique genetic lineage is an essential step towards ensuring proper protection and conservation for the endangered species.
ALSO READ:
More news from Offbeat
She was born 'Rajamma' in 1903 to a Pulaya family in Nandankode, Trivandrum
At the home centre, ceramic vases and candleholders are being offered at a promo price of two pieces, one onion
The food piled up quickly at the family's home after the kid used his father's phone to play some games before bed
Several videos dubbed "sushi terrorism" have emerged on social media, showing unhygienic pranks at restaurants
The shop's announcement went viral, garnering nearly 9,000 shares and 15,000 reactions
60-year-old Brazilian man announced his 'death' on his Facebook page and invited friends and family to attend 'farewell service'
Another couple ordered several sacks of the prized vegetable, not for a dinner spread but as souvenirs for guests